Do you want to pick someone up for a flight at Dunedin Airport in New Zealand? Officials want you to be quick about this.
The airport has drawn attention with a new series of signs limiting hugs in the landing area to three minutes. If you cannot fit your farewell into that allotted time period, it is suggested that you head to the garage. The sign says: “Maximum hug time is 3 minutes.” “For a loving farewell, please use the parking lot.”
Dunedin Airport pic.twitter.com/DxR4DmbhRM
– M (@dresdnol) October 21, 2024
If this sounds a little cynical, it’s intentional. said the Dunedin Airport CEO (who admits he’s a hugger). Radio New Zealand The plan was to have some fun solving airport congestion, rather than get aggressive about the problem.
“We’re just trying to have fun with it,” Dan De Bono told the station. “It’s an airport and those drop-off locations are popular farewell locations. … We made a lot of noise.”
While he mocked the idea of a “hug police,” de Bono said enforcement would not be particularly strict — but people whose goodbyes last too long will be asked to move on politely.
“We’re not here to tell people how long to hug, it’s a message to please move forward and make space for others,” he said.
Although the sign is strange, it is not as unique as you might imagine. Aalborg Airport in Denmark is asking passengers to hold their goodbyes for three minutes as well, with a sign reading “Kiss Goodbye.” No kisses for more than 3 minutes!
Kiss and goodbye… Photography by LB Hogan, photo taken at Aalborg Airport, Denmark. pic.twitter.com/5X7lW9tIq5
– Igor (@dunothevitch) July 2, 2019
However, no airport has been known to impose time limits on hearty handshakes or high-fives. yet.